10-Year-Old With Tattoo Removed From Grandpa’s Care

A grandfather in Florida recently lost custody of his grandchildren after allowing his 10-year-old grandson to get a permanent tattoo as a rite of passage. Jeez, what comes after that? Cigarettes and hard liquor?

Jerry Garrison, the exceptionally permissive granddad in question, doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with the boy getting a tattoo of his initials on his right leg. After all, he pointed out, each member of the Garrison family sports a similar tattoo.

“He got his initials out there on the right leg, at the very bottom,” said Garrison. “I didn’t see why a tattoo was such a big issue to be begin with.”

But when the Florida Department of Children and Families visited Garrison’s home, they saw the tattoo and removed an unspecified number of grandchildren from his custody.

Still, the DCF says the children weren’t specifically removed because of the ill-advised ink. Instead, the children were taken into foster care because of other allegations.

“When you get in to cases like this, is the child being abused? Is the child at risk? Are the actions of the parents putting the child at risk?,” said DCF spokeman John Harrell.

What’s your take on this story? Should Garrison have lost custody? Are you as stunned by this lapse in parenting as we are?